Cambridge Medical Center

Cambridge Medical Center is a regional health care facility providing comprehensive health care services to more than 30,000 residents in Isanti County. The medical center is comprised of a large multi-specialty clinic and an 86-bed hospital located on one large campus. A same day clinic, retail pharmacy, and eye care center are also located in the facility.

One of the most unique aspects of the medical center is its size. Although located in the small community of Cambridge (population 5,520), the medical center has over 150,000 clinic patient visits each year, 4,000 inpatient hospital admissions, and has over 100,000 outpatient visits annually. There are more than 65 physicians and providers on staff and 27 consulting physicians providing specialty care such as cardiology, oncology, ENT, and urology, among others. The medical center has more than 900 employees and is the largest employer in the city of Cambridge.

Cambridge Medical Center is a part of Allina Hospitals & Clinics, a family of hospitals, clinics and care services in Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

As part of Allina Hospitals & Clinics, we share a common mission and vision.

Our mission

We serve our communities by providing exceptional care, as we prevent illness, restore health and provide comfort to all who entrust us with their care.

Our vision

We will:

• put the patient first;
• make difference in people's lives by providing exceptional care and service;
• create a healing environment where passionate people thrive and excel; and
• lead collaborative efforts that solve our community's health care challenges.

History of Cambridge Medical Center

Cambridge Medical Center has a rich past. What is now a comprehensive regional medical center that serves over 160,000 people living in Isanti County and the surrounding areas had very modest beginnings.

Back in 1950, Dr. Ray Magnuson and Dr. Gerald Larson opened a small clinic in Cambridge. Shortly thereafter, they identified the need for a community hospital and initiated a fund drive to build a hospital in Cambridge. In 1956, the 30-bed Memorial Hospital opened.

Over the years, more physicians joined Drs. Magnuson and Larson. Drs. Magnuson and Larson and the new group of physicians formed a new medical practice called "Professional Medical Associates (PMA). The clinic was also known as "The Cambridge Clinic." The clinic twice moved to new facilities, eventually residing on the current site of the Cambridge Medical Center campus.

As the need for medical care grew in the surrounding communities, satellite clinics were opened in Braham (1977), Ham Lake (1980), and North Branch (1996). Physicians traveled from Cambridge to see patients at these clinics.

Since 1956, Memorial Hospital expanded twice from its initial 30-bed capacity. In 1968, the hospital expanded to 62 beds and in 1976 it expanded to its current 86-bed capacity.

In 1995, Memorial Hospital and PMA independently, but collectively, joined Allina Hospitals & Clinics The clinic and hospital underwent a $12 million dollar remodeling and expansion project funded by Allina that merged the hospital and clinic into a combined medical center named "Cambridge Medical Center."

Today, Cambridge Medical Center is a large and vibrant organization that is dedicated to caring for thousands of patients every year.

2010 Facts & figures

Cambridge Medical Center was accredited by the Joint Commission in November 2009.

Cambridge Medical Center earns quality award

Cambridge Medical Center is proud to announce that it has earned the Gold Seal of Approval from the Joint Commission, for meeting the agency’s national standards for patient care quality and safety.

The Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standards setting and accrediting body in health care. Health care organizations nationwide strive to achieve the high standards set by the Joint Commission. “The Joint Commission’s quality standards are rigorous. We are extremely proud of the care we provide and the Joint Commission’s recognition of our dedication to patient safety and continuous quality improvement,” said Dennis Doran, president of Cambridge Medical Center.

The Joint Commission conducted an unannounced on site evaluation of Cambridge Medical Center in August. The award of accreditation recognizes Cambridge Medical Center’s dedication to complying with the Joint Commission’s state of the art standards on a continuing basis.

"The national standards are intended to stimulate continuous, systematic and organization-wide improvement in an organization's performance and the outcomes of care," says Darlene Christiansen, executive director, Hospital Accreditation Program, Joint Commission. "The community should be proud that Cambridge Medical Center is focusing on the most challenging goal -- to continuously raise quality and safety to higher levels."

The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits nearly 15,000 healthcare organizations and programs in the United States, including more than 8,000 hospitals. The independent, not for profit organization was founded in 1951. Its mission is to continuously improve the safety and quality of care provided to the public through the provision of health care accreditation and related services that support performance improvement in health care organizations.

Laboratory accreditations

The laboratories that serve us have earned special accreditations.

Cambridge Medical Center lab

Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment

The College of American Pathologists

North Branch Clinic lab

Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment

The College of American Pathologists